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Are you allowed to drink wine that non-Jews touched? Why?

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4 Answers

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Even if it is not cooked, a non-Jew merely touching the bottle is not enough to prohibit it.

I am not writing a source because it is an inferred answer: If one would look up the Halachos of Yayin Nesech/Stam Yanum in Yorah Deah he will see that what is forbidden is poured wine (and the wine that was in the neck of the bottle as it was being poured and went back into the bottle when it was set down). The concern would be that the Aku"m had in mind to pour it for idolatry. But touching is not even an issue.

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He asked if he touched the wine not the bottle. – SimchasTorah Apr 18 '10 at 4:03
If he touches the actual wine it is a problem. – SimchasTorah Apr 18 '10 at 4:04
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You mean he dipped his hands in the wine? I do not believe that's what was meant by the question! There is a common misconception that by merely touching or picking up the bottle a gentile renders wine unfit and my assumption is that his question is based on that misconception. – Yahu Apr 19 '10 at 3:46
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Yahu, please give a little more explanation about the term "cooked" as it is a subject of debate as to what this means (eg. flash-pasteurization, actually cooked like used in sauteing food). – Adam Simon Aug 2 '11 at 12:40
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If it is Mevushal cooked than yes.

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YS, you are correct but the implication you leave readers with is that touching would render the wine unfit and that is simply not true! – Yahu Apr 16 '10 at 16:33
Can you add a source and address Yahu's comment? – Monica Cellio♦ Sep 23 '12 at 2:25
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See this answer to a related question.

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While this link may answer the question, it is better to include the essential parts of the answer here and provide the link for reference. Link-only answers can become invalid if the linked page changes. – HodofHod Aug 16 '12 at 6:36
^^Stock answer provided by the new Review tool. – HodofHod Aug 16 '12 at 6:37
up vote 2 down vote

According to Kabbalah, one should avoid drinking wine that was even looked upon by a non-Jew. (The Lubavitcher Rebbe would have the wine covered by farbrengens to avoid this issue).

There is also a letter from the Lubavitcher Rebbe where he says that wine owned by a non-shomer-shabbos Jew is forbidden, even if there is a seal within a seal.

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